Transport Van Escapee Back in Police Custody

A prisoner who fled from a van transporting him to Florida has been apprehended about 90 miles from the North Texas town where he escaped.

Palo Pinto County Sheriff says Michael Rimmer was found by deputies this morning at a convenience store near Santo. He was taken to the Palo Pinto County Jail without incident.

A detention officer said Rimmer was being held without bond.

Rimmer escaped in Olney about 1 a.m. Saturday when the van in which he and other prisoners were traveling stopped at a convenience store.

The prisoners were being transported by a private company.

Olney Police Chief Barry Roberts says Rimmer has a criminal history that includes assaulting a police officer and drug dealing.

Olney is about 100 miles northwest of Fort Worth.

Editor's Note:

Questions arose as to why the incident occurred in Texas if being transported from Louisiana to Florida.

UPDATE: (from DallasNews.com)

"Olney Police Chief Barry Roberts says Rimmer was being transported by USG7, which handles prisoner transfers for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

A person who answered the phone there this morning (Saturday) said he knew nothing about an escape. Says Roberts, it’s his understanding that Rimmer, who has a lengthy criminal record involving everything from possession of meth to assault, was being taken from Louisiana back to Florida when they swung through North Texas.

“That doesn’t make sense to me,” he says. “But you never know with these private transport companies.”

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